


Source Decay

by GuineapigQueen



Series: 400 Followers Requests [10]
Category: South Park
Genre: Character Death, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, M/M, Talk of sex, drug overdose, not craig or tweek don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25501915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuineapigQueen/pseuds/GuineapigQueen
Summary: Craig still hasn't taken off his wedding ring. He knows he should, but he just hasn't found it in him yet. He knows Tweek hasn't either, he's seen it in pictures even though now they've been separated longer than they were together.
Relationships: Craig Tucker/Tweek Tweak
Series: 400 Followers Requests [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718590
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	Source Decay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [guineaDogs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/guineaDogs/gifts).



> A request from dear thaumatroping on tumblr, they asked for a fic based on Source Decay by the Mountain Goats. Hope it lives up to everything you wanted :

Craig still hasn't taken off his wedding ring. He knows he should, but he just hasn't found it in him yet. He knows Tweek hasn't either, he's seen it in pictures even though now they've been separated longer than they were together. They're still married, but they've spent most of it seperated. Craig hasn't dated anyone else, but he's not going back to Tweek either. It’s stupid, he has this idealised version of what they used to be and while, he knows that he’s better off with them apart he can’t let go of what once was. He misses who they were before that night. 

They both came home different people. Craig didn’t know what to do so he built up fierce emotional walls and Tweek numbed the guilt with drugs. He thought that they might have a difficult time getting over everything they’d seen but he hadn’t thought things would sink as low as they did. Maybe they should have talked about it, gone to therapy or something. But they were just kids, unsure how to be married let alone process a horrible trauma so early on in married life. 

Tweek was always susceptible to drugs. His parents did drugs, they’d even drugged Tweek, which is why they lost custody of him. The relationship Tweek and Craig had was something that had been keeping Tweek in check but when that began to decay so did Tweek’s sobriety. 

By the time Craig got his head out of his ass and realised he needed to process his feelings it was too late. Tweek was neck deep in a drug habit and he refused to give up. 

That was why Craig left really. He couldn’t have a normal life when Tweek was living in such a chaotic way. So when Tweek refused to get help Craig left. He had hoped it’d only be temporary. That Tweek would realise how important their marriage is and come back, apologise and promise to get clean. None of that ever happened, Craig moved in because he had to. He needed a place to live and a job, he couldn’t just sit around waiting for Tweek. In that time he has made a quiet life for himself alone and as far as he knows, Tweek hasn’t changed.

He still receives contact from Tweek, Craig doesn’t know how Tweek knows his address but someone must have told him. Every month or so he gets postcards, sometimes with letters or Polaroid photos. Craig never answers them, to let Tweek back in to ruin his life at this point. He keeps the Polaroids though, in a special envelope in his chest of drawers. Because there’s a part of him that can’t fully let go and he likes being able to see Tweek. Even if the Tweek in the picture has dead eyes and skeletal limbs. 

Not the Tweek he married, or the Tweek he left for Thailand with.

—

_ “Tonight you’ve got to  _ -ah- _ dance!” Tweek cries happily, twirling with excitement under the club lights.  _

_ “I can’t dance for shit and you know it!” Craig replies, he’s in a foreign country trying all these different things, he doesn’t know where Tweek finds the confidence to just let loose in front of so many strangers. _

_ “Nobody can! We’re all drunk, it’s just about us  _ -nnn-  _ having fun” Tweek encourages him. _

_ “I dunno, I like watching you,” Craig replies. It’s not a lie, Tweek moves so beautifully, more exquisitely than anything Craig has ever seen. He could watch him for hours on end, and this is  _ before  _ the molly.  _

_ “This is our honeymoon!” Tweek insists “ours! Not just mine or just yours… ours. We need to  _ -nghh-  _ dance together!” _

_ Craig supposes he’s right. This is their honeymoon, they’re only going to get one and should be doing things together. He downs the rest of his drink before nodding. _

_ “Okay” he gives in “only because it’s our honeymoon.” _

_ “And we’re in Thailand” Tweek points out “we might never get this  _ -hnn-  _ opportunity again.” _

_ Tweek takes his hand and leads him to the dance floor. The bass from a top 40 dance track reverberates in Craig’s ears. The alcohol, (and more) in his system begins to take effect and lower his inhibitions. He lets the rhythm takeover and his body does the hard work. He let’s Tweek lead, but he follows. It’s a metaphor for their relationship really. Craig follows where Tweek goes. Tweek wanted to come to Thailand for their honeymoon. Craig wasn’t against it but he didn’t have a strong preference one way or another. Tweek really wanted Thailand and Craig was happy to make his fiancé happy. Tweek wants to see a whole new culture, connect more to his Buddhist leanings and spirituality. And party, Tweek always said the parties were legendary and attending them was on his bucket list. They’re still young after all, they may be married but they’re not dead. They want to party just as much as the average person their age; they just do it together. So far that’s been the bulk of what they’ve been doing, going out every night and soaking in all the colour of the local nightlife. Checking out bars, clubs and getting as fucked up as possible.  _

_ It’s been out of his comfort zone but so far Craig has no regrets, it’s been the party of a lifetime. _

_ — _

Despite Tweek ending up a junkie, Craig would be lying if he said they had a clean past before. They partied in high school a lot, they were making some bad lifestyle choices but at this point nobody was addicted. Craig could choose to walk away and he did. Tweek couldn't.

In high school there wasn't much to do besides get fucked up and, well, fuck. Craig felt he had met his soulmate in small town Colorado, he wanted to do everything with Tweek. Tweek always wanted more from life. He wanted to see the world, soul search and have spiritual experiences. Tweek was always more into drugs, always willing to go harder. Craig never took anything harder than Molly before Tweek pressed him too and even then he stuck to hallucinogenics. For the experience, for better sex, spiritual awakening or religious-like experiences. It was a rebellion period and not one he wanted to last forever. They got married after senior year, maybe they were too young but Craig had felt sure. He wanted to do life with Tweek, not fuck around for the sake of experience. 

When they came back from their honeymoon, after it happened, Tweek went even further. It wasn't just mushrooms or acid anymore. It was coke, meth and heroin. He got addicted to the former, Craig guesses because he wanted to feel numb. He wanted to forget the things he'd seen. Craig wants to forget too, but he isn't about to nod off on heroin. He still wants a life.

Tweek was unable to do anything anymore. He couldn't work because he was always fucked up. He'd disappear, sometimes for days on end and Craig would never know where he'd gone. Craig didn't know what he was doing beyond getting his fix but there were bruises and marks that left him suspicious. Maybe Tweek didn't even know himself what he'd done but Craig could guess. All they do is fight, Tweek lashing out when Craig suggests he has a problem. Craig feels like he's stuck in a time loop. Never progressing or moving on from the chaos, just reliving it and self inflicting pain. 

He couldn't take it anymore. Tweek wasn't Tweek anymore, just a ghost covered in scabs and track marks. Bones poking through and dead, cold eyes. He wasn't someone Craig wanted to wake up next to anymore. 

He left because Tweek wouldn't get clean but really, it's more than that. Tweek is a reminder of that night. Of the worst things that's ever happened to him, the worst thing he's ever done. Ever since that night all they can do for each other was bring out the worst in each other. 

But still, even now he hasn't served divorce papers. He hasn't taken off his ring. He still loves Tweeks ghost, the person that he used to be. 

—

_ The music booms as the lights pulsate. Craig happily downs another drink as Tweek chats to a girl from their group. She knows some people with connections to drugs. She's hooking them up with some good shit. Tweek is so good at meeting people and finding them the best stuff. He loves that about Tweek, that he always finds a way to have the best adventures. Craig always has a good night with him. Tweek makes eye contact with him from the floor, where he and this girl were dancing and bonding, he smiles and heads back over with the girl in tow. _

_ "This is Harmony" Tweek says with a mischievous glint in his eyes "she has the  _ -ah-  _ goods, man." _

_ "Nice to meet you" Harmony says with a high pitched giggle, tucking a strand of fiery red hair behind her ear.  _

_ "Harmony, this is Craig" Tweek continues the introduction "he's my  _ -hnn-  _ husband." _

_ "Nice to meet you" Craig replies and shakes her hand. _

_ "You're so young!" She says "it must be nice to have met your soulmate so early."  _

_ "It's bliss" Tweek purrs "this is our  _ -ah-  _ honeymoon. We wanted to have a spiritual awakening, you know?"  _

_ "I have exactly what you need" she says "but let's go back to the hotel to do it. We can come back when it hits if no one freaks out."  _

_ "You down?" Tweek asks Craig. _

_ Craig nods, where Tweek goes, Craig follows.  _

_ Craig doesn't know exactly what it is that they're taking but it seems to be some kind of shroom. Craig's done shrooms before so he's not worried, he takes the offering from Harmony. Quietly he thanks the gods for tonight, for the adventures he gets to have with his husband. Even before the shroom has kicked in, everything feels so  _ good. 

_ Craig finds himself just staring. He watches the colours dance over the wall intently. He smiles and even laughs out loud, everything feeling right with the world. Tweek notices his obsession with the wall and straddles Craig's lap. _

_ "I'll give you something to  _ -nnn-  _ look at" Tweek purrs, running a hand down Craig's back, making him shiver. Tweek goes for his neck, he sucks and nibbles, pressing his crotch against Craig's own. _

_ "Fuck me" Tweek says breathlessly.  _

_ It's then Craig remembers.  _

_ "Harmony is here" he says, even though he's still transfixed by Tweek. He doesn't go to move but the back of his brain realises he hasn't heard from her in a while. No sounds, nothing.  _

_ Tweek looks around, clearly having the same realization.  _

_ Then they see her. Slumped against the wall, like a ragdoll. White, formally vibrant white skin looking sallow and grey. Dead, Craig thinks. _

_ "Harmony?" Tweek says, entangling himself from Craig and crawling over to the spot Harmony has collapsed.  _

_ She doesn't reply. Doesn't even move. _

_ "Harmony?" Tweek calls, more frantic. He reaches out to touch her body. _

_ "She's cold" Tweek says, eyes wide "how  _ -gah- _ long has she been dead for?" _

_ "I don't know!" Craig cries "shit, what do we do?" _

_ "We're gonna go to jail! Fuck, we gotta  _ -nghh-  _ bury her or something" Tweek replies in a panic. _

_ "No, we can't do that" Craig rationalises, he tries to find some sense in the haze of his brain. "I'm going to call an ambulance," Craig decides. Maybe they can do CPR or something. Maybe it'll be okay.  _

_ — _

Craig pours through the latest set of Polaroids Tweek has sent him. Tweeks latest bod to get his attention. 

Harmony did die that night. She's made such an impact on both their lives even though they only knew her for a few hours. She was just a girl who could give them drugs. Now she haunts both of them every day in different ways. Harmony died because she'd taken speed before taking the shrooms with Craig and Tweek. She hadn't told them that. Craig found out when her autopsy findings were released. Craig feels horrible for her family, sometimes they like to blame Tweek and Craig and really, Craig doesn't blame them. They've lost a daughter, niece, sister… they're angry and they need someone to blame. Some way to make sense of the horrific, sudden loss and regain some control. Most days Craig blames himself too.

Tweek and Craig were cleared of any wrongdoing legally but Craig feels they were not absolved spiritually. They were not absolved in the court of public opinion either. 

Tweek in particular couldn't take it, the way he was scrutinized by both the law and the public. People who thought they were dealers trying to frame Harmony to save their own skins. They both would wake up screaming. Craig can't say what Tweek dreams of but he knows for him it's flashing lights, fiery red hair, ghost white skin. Cold. No pulse. The way she slumped against the wall. The way her soul left her eyes. 

Craig is guilty in his own way. Guilty that he chose to get so fucked up overseas. That he chose to do drugs with a stranger. That he could have done more to save her. Maybe he would've noticed earlier if they hadn't been so high and horny. He doesn't know, but the questions are still there. He wishes he could go back and bring her soul back. 

He doesn't know her, not really but she took a piece of him. An important piece. His heart had to reconstruct itself in a new shape and the missing piece no longer fit with Tweeks. 

In amongst the Polaroids that are clearly recent pictures of Tweek is an old one. One from the honeymoon that Craig didn't even realise Tweek had kept. It's Harmony. Alive, with colour, dancing with Tweek who looks just as happy and vibrant. Now Tweeks appearance mirrors Harmony's dead body. The walking dead. 

Craig knows why Tweek has sent him this. It's to hurt him. A desperate act to get his attention and provoke a reply. 

Craig wont give him the satisfaction. He rips the Polaroid in half, leaving only Harmony dancing. The section containing Tweek, and all the other Polaroids get ripped up. Calmly, methodically. Craig is done. He can't keep doing this anymore, he can't keep reliving the trauma, even from a distance. Maybe Tweek can't get out of this trap but Craig decides he's going to remember Harmony as a living being. Not as some body in a hotel room. He takes off his ring, finally and dumps the scraps of Polaroids containing Tweek. 

He keeps the torn picture of Harmony and pins it on his fridge. He's never going to move on if he keeps avoiding her. So he'll face her everyday and hope she forgives him.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is blesspastacraig if you wanna be friends


End file.
